Freedom of Belief When we stimulate our thinking with new insights and inspirations, our understanding of the world evolves, and we realize the full capacity of our human spirit. Eliciting the Best It is by acting in a way that encourages the finest characteristics in others that we bring out the best in ourselves. Respect for Human Worth We treat all people as having an inherent capacity for fairness, kindness, and living ethically. Ethical Living When we put into practice ethical principles such as love, justice, honesty, and forgiveness, we experience harmony within ourselves and in our relationships. Reverence for Life We cultivate the spiritual dimension in life by experiencing our interdependent connections to humanity, nature, and our inner values.
Our Principles Principles = How We Live Our Values
Ethics is Central The most central human issue in our lives is creating a more humane environment.
Ethics Begins with Choice Creating a more humane environment begins by affirming the need to make significant choices in our lives.
We Choose to Treat Each Other as Ends, not Means To enable us to be whole in a fragmented world, we choose to treat each other as unique individuals having intrinsic worth.
We Seek to Act with Integrity Treating one another as ends requires that we learn to act with integrity. This includes keeping commitments, and being honest, open, caring and responsive.
We are Committed to Educate Ourselves Personal progress is possible, both in wisdom and social life. Learning how to build ethical relationships and cultivate a humane community is a life-long endeavor.
Self-Reflection and Our Social Nature Require Us to Shape a More Humane World Growth of the human spirit is rooted in self-reflection but can only come to full flower in community. This is because people are social, needing both primary relationships and larger supportive groups to become fully human. Our social nature requires that we reach beyond ourselves to decrease suffering and increase creativity in the world.
Democratic Process is Essential to Our Tasks The democratic process is essential to a humane social order because it respects the worth of persons and elicits and allows a greater expression of human capacities. Democratic process also implies a commitment to shared responsibility and authority.
Life Itself Inspires a “Religious” Response Although awareness of impending death intensifies the human quest, the mystery of life itself, and the need to belong, are the primary factors motivating human religious response.
Written in collaboration with leaders and members of the American Ethical Union, coordinated by Lois Kathleen Kellerman, Leader, Brooklyn Society for Ethical Culture.
